Folding bed.



PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

f. J. HUBBARD.

FOLDING BED.

APPLIOATION HLBD APB. 15, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@zyw

No. 783,204. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. F. J. HUBBARD.

FOLDING BED.

APBLIoATroN FILED APB. 15, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET z.

. EEEED EEEEU EEEEJ EEES EEES EEEEU EEEED EEE@ EEED

EEEU

EEEU

EEEEU EEEEU EEEED PATENTED FEB. 2l, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 783,204. PATENTED PEB. 21, 1905. F. J. HUBBARD.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 15, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Illll IlllN.l i Il @MM i.. 2i.. t@ il...

No. 783,204. PATENTED FEB. 2l. 1905.

F. J. HUBBARD.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED APR.,15,1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

NITE-D STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

FREDERICK J. HUBBARD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,204, dated February 21, 1905.

l Application filed April 15, 1904. Serial No. 203,249.

To {1J/Z whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, FREDERICK J. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding beds of the general type in which the ends of the bed-frame are formed of front and rear posts carrying the front and rear side rails connected by lazy-tongs, so that they, with the side rails, may be moved toward and away from each other` and in which a mattress-frame is pivotally connected with the` rear posts and has a link connection with the front posts, whereby raising of the mattressframe on its pivot to the vertical plane contracts the end frames, moving the side rails toward each other, and lowering the mattressframe to the horizontal plane expands the end frames, moving the side rails away from each other. Folding beds of the type above described have been shown and described in Letters Patent No. 675,520, granted to H. M. McDonnell June 4, 1901, and in a pending application filed by the said McDonnell October 24, 1903, Serial No. 178,352.

My object is to provide certain improvements in details of construction of a bed ofl the above type, with a view to rendering the bed particularly strong and durable, easy to open and close, and generally more desirable for its purpose. y

To these ends my invention consists in the general construction, as well as in details of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved folding bed in folded or closed position; Fig. 2, a similar view of the same in open or unfolded position; Fig. 3, a broken front elevation of the bedv folded; Fig. 4, a section taken on line 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a section on the same line as Fig. 4, but showing the position of parts when the bed is open; Figs. 6 and 7, broken perspective views showing details of construction of a curtain-rod support; Figs. 8 and 9, broken perspective views of one of the mattress-frame trunnions and one of the bedframe brackets, constituting together one of the pivotal connections on which the mattrees-frame swings; Fig. 10, a broken inner side view of what I term the rear frame of the bed; Fig. 11, an enlarged broken plan view taken on line 11 in Fig. 3; Fig. 12, a plan view of one of a pair of levers which operate to lock the parts together when the bed is folded; Fig. 13, an enlarged sectional view of the lower end portion of one of the legs or posts ofthe bed, showing the manner of constructing and securing the casters; Fig. 14, an enlarged broken section taken on line 14 in Fig. 1; Fig. 15, a section taken on line 15 in Figs. 1 and 14, and Fig. 16 an enlarged broken section taken on line 16 in Fig. 1.

A Aare what I term the front posts of the bed-frame, which are held in rigid relation by a front side railB. This rail consists of parallel rods or tubes a a, upon the ends of which are cast the end blocks or heads b. Cast upon or otherwise fastened to the tubes a, midway between the ends thereof, are collars a', also cast upon or fastened to a strut or tierod a2, which braces and strengthens the side rail. These blocks are also cast upon bolts c, as shown in Fig. 14. Cast upon the posts A are blocks or sleeves d, a hole d being drilled in each casethrough the sleeve and post for the threaded end of theboltc to pass through. The outer side of each-sleeve (Z forms a bearing for a nut c which clamps the parts together. The outer end portionof each block b is cylindrical and presents a bearingsurface between a stop b2 on the block and a stop formed by a socketed lug (Z2, into which the part b extends.

C C are what I term thc rear posts of the bed-frame, which are joined together by a side rail or frame D somewhat narrower than the frame B, but constructed in substantially the same waywith parallel rods or tubes e and end castings f, presenting bearing-surfacesf between shoulders.

E is a mattress-frame formed with angleiron end bars g, to which the mattress-wires are attached, as shown in Fig. 3. Fastened to or substantially integral with the ends of the angle-iron bars g are corner-blocks g', as

`shown in Fig. 11.

Each side rail of the mattress-frame is formed of a pair of parallel tubes g2, fastened in the blocks g. Curtainrods 7a parallel the tubes g2 at each side of the mattress-frame, the rods being secured at their ends by thumb-nuts L. Fastened against each of the end bars g are brackets/Z, (see Fig. 6,) having lugs e", forming stops. Pivoted to the brackets t' are swinging arms '/r, carrying an upper rear curtain-rod 71:'. rl `he arms Z; are formed at their 'pivoted end portions with enlargements 7a2, Fig. 7, presenting stops which engage the lugs 'f/, whereby the said arms may swing from the relative position shown in Fig. 4 to that shownin Fig. 5. When the arms are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the curtainrod c may support a curtain hiding and protecting the mattress X and bedclothes thereon, and when the bed is in the position shown in Fig. 5 the rod is swung out of the'way. At about the center of each end bar g is an arm or bracket Z, to which is 'pivotally secured the end of a link m. At their opposite ends the links m are pivotally secured to the rail B at the bearing-surfaces Z', as shown in Fig. 14.

The pcstsA C at each end of the bed-frame are connected together by lazy-tongs F. On the upper ends of the posts A C are ornamental eXtensions A C, provided at their lower inner sides with ears a, to which the upper ends of the lazy-tongs are pivotally secured, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower ends of the lazy-tongs F have pins p sliding in vertical guide-sockets d3, T-shaped in horizontal cross-section, in lugs Z4 on .the inner sides of the sleeves or castings (Z of the posts A and similar castings on the posts C. Between their upper and lower ends' the lazytongs are similarly provided with pins sliding in T-shaped sockets in blocks or lugs Z5 on the posts after the manner illustrated in Fig. 15. Thus it will be understood that-the lazytongs are pivotally connected with the posts at n and have sliding connections with the posts at their lower ends and between their ends at the joints. The pins p, sliding in the T-slots d3, hold the lazy-tongs against separation from the posts.

On the rear posts C are rigid brackets G, formed at their free ends with sockets q. (See Fig. 9.) On the end bars g of the mattressframe in the positions shown are brackets H, constructed, as shown in Fig. 8, with stops ff' and socketed trunnions fr', fitting over and resting in the sockets q.

When the mattress-frame is raised, as shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4, it may be lowered by swinging it at its top downward in the direction to the left in Fig. 4. 1n this movement the mattress-frame swings at' its trunnions o" in the sockets q and thrusts the links m, thereby sliding the forward posts and their connecting-rail D along' the iioor to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5. When in this position, the rear part of the bed is supported entirely by the -trunnionsfr' and the forward part of themattress-frame rests at its blocks g on the blocks or castings Z) of the forward side rail. On the mattress-frame is a mattress-supporting bar I, fastened at opposite ends to the end bars g, as shown in Fig. 5. The mattress X rests at one edge upon this bar when theA mattress-frame is in the vertical position. Sliding through openings in the bars g are mattress-retaining hooks I of usual construction.

K K are foot-levers, which may be shaped as shown in Figs. 4, 5,. and l2, and are fulcrumed at their rear ends upon the bearingsurfaces f/ of the rear side rail D. The levers K are formed at their upper sides with shoulders s, presenting sockets between them, and are held normally in raised position by springs t, fastened to the brackets G. When the mattress-frame is swung from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, the rear blocks engage inclined or cam surfaces s' on the levers K, thereby swinging the levers down until the blocks g register with the sockets between the shoulders s, whereby the levers in swinging upward will hold the mattress-frame securely in the vertical position. To open the bed, it is first necessary to press down the levers K to release the parts g of the mattress-frame therefrom.

While l have shown and described a lever K at each end of the bed, such a lever or catch at one end only wouldl answer the purpose of locking the parts against opening` when closed.

Raising of the mattress-frame to the position shown in Fig. 4 causes the stops /l' to contact with and rest upon the upper surfaces of the bracket Gr, and the mattress-frame is thereby prevented from moving beyond the vertical plane in the backward direction. The links m are mounted in such relation to the brackets Gr that when the mattress-frame is swung to the vertical positionthey slide at their outer sides in or nearly in surface contact with the inner free end portions of the bracket. This engagement of the links m with the brackets G steadies the forward part of the bed-frame against independent longitudinal play while the bed is being moved about'.

On the lazy-tongs proper is an ornamental top or extension F', comprising short curved links w, pivotally connected together at their upper ends and pivotally connected at their lower ends with the upper ends of the lazytongs bars at the top joints of the lazy-tongs. In closing the bed the lazy-tongs extensions slide over eachother and fold together, as indicated in Fig. l. The links u of the lazyg tongs extension are somewhat shorter than the distance between joints of the lazy-tongs bars, whereby in practice they tend to stiii'en the lazy-tongs and prevent their opening and closing too freely. In practice the posts, lazytongs, and front and rear side rails may beof IOO iron coated with paint or enamel, while the post extensions A C and lazy-tongs extensions F' maybe of polished brass or thelike, which gives a pleasing ornamental finish to 'the structure.

In Fig. 13 I have shown the manner of constructing and mounting the casters L which I prefer to employ. On the lower ends of the posts A C' are ornamental foot-pieces w, cast upon or otherwise rigidly fastened to the posts. Each foot-piece w has a central bearing-openingw through it and aflat under face provided with an annular ball-bearing groove 102. The caster-stirrup frame has adisk-shaped top w3, provided with a ball-bearing groove w, and a stem or shank Q05 passing looselyT through the opening w. Fastened to the upper end of the shank Q05 to extend normally slightly above an inner annular shoulder in the foot-piece is a collar wl. Balls 107 are in the ball-race formed by the grooves wz wi. The pin w8, on which the caster-wheel is journaled, is preferably in vertical line with the balls at one side of the ball-race, and this causes the strain upon the pin w8 to be in the vertical planeand tends to prevent binding of the caster. By causing the collar w to be normally out of contact with the metal of the foot-piece there is sufficient play between parts to insure free movement of the balls in the ball-race.

My improvements above described tend to cheapen the construction of the bed and render it lparticularly strong and desirable for its purpose, and' while I prefer to construct my improvements throughout as shown and described they may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isd

l. In a folding bed of the character described, the combination of posts having ears fixed toward their upper ends, sleeves fixed to the posts intermediately and toward the lower ends thereof, lugs on said sleeves providing between them vertical slots having vertical grooves in their walls, lazy-tongs pivoted at their upper ends to said fixed ears and havsides of the posts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

'3. In a folding bed, the combination with end posts of a side rail comprising a pair of parallel tubes, heads fastened upon the ends of the tubes and connecting them together, post-engaging extensions upon the heads, and a strut connecting the tubes together between their ends, substantially as described.

4E. In a folding bed of the character described, the combination with a swinging mattress-frame, of brackets on opposite ends of said frame, swinging arms pivotallyr secured to said brackets, a curtain-rod carried by said arms, and stops upon the arms and brackets for limiting the movement of said arms,where by in the lowering of the mattress-frame the curtain-rod swings to an out-of-the-way positiorli, substantially as and for the purpose set fort 5. In a folding bed of the character described, the combination with the bed-frame and swinging mattress-frame, of a springraised foot-lever on the main frame having a mattress-frame-engaging shoulder, and a camsurface in the path of the mattress-frame, whereby as said mattress-frame is swung to the vertical position the lever is pressed down and then springs upward to engage the mattress-frame and lock the bed in the folded position, substantially as described. e

FREDERICK J. HUBBARD.

In presence of CARL G. SCHWARZE, Guo. E. LoELLNnR. 

